{Of course, the main line of the Meran is} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3
e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 {, but I examined the other moves in some
depth because at the club level you will face them regularly. The idea behind
this advance isn't primarily to gain queenside space, but rather support the ..
.c5 break, and that only works when Black has exchanged his d5-pawn first. Now
a typical question is: why should White play} 8. Bd3 {here? There are two main
reasons: 1) Black has two ways to prepare the ...c5 break - with ...a6 to
defend the b5-pawn, or ...b4. Against the latter, we'd like to respond with
Ne4 to keep our pieces centralised. 2) Perhaps more importantly, the bishop
helps support the e4 break, without which we can't put pressure on the
opponent's position.} (8. Bb3 b4 9. Ne2 Bb7 10. O-O Bd6 {illustrates this
concept quite clearly; the knight is insipid on e2 and normally White moves it
to f4 or g3 here. Still, the position is at least equal for Black; he might
even delay ...c5 for a few moves just to get his pieces on better squares
first as it is hard for White to considerably improve his position.}) (8. Be2 {
is slightly more respectable, but all of Black's main tries against 8.Bd3 work
better here as after say} Bb7 {White's e4 isn't so hot after ...b4 now, and
otherwise} 9. O-O Be7 10. e4 b4 11. e5 bxc3 12. exf6 Bxf6 13. bxc3 c5 {leaves
Black with comfortable piece play and a little pressure on the ruins of
White's centre.}) * [/pgn]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3
a6 {This is the sharpest line since White's attempts to avoid e4, while quite
common at club level, are considerably less critical.} 9. O-O ({It is very
important to meet} 9. e4 {with} c5 {; if you waste a tempo with} (9... Bb7 $2 {
,} 10. e5 $1 Nd5 11. Nxd5 cxd5 12. O-O {is a very passive version of the
French for Black. White will follow with} Be7 13. Qd2 $1 {(a new move, but
funnily enough the first one I thought of)} O-O 14. Qf4 {followed by Qg4 and
Bh6 with a stock kingside attack.})) 9... c5 10. a4 b4 11. Ne4 Bb7 12. Ned2 {
This is the most frequent move, but I find it too passive and would prefer} (
12. Nxf6+ Nxf6 13. dxc5 Bxc5 14. Qe2 {which at least gives a clear plan of e4,
and meanwhile Black has a few weak squares on the queenside to work with.
Still, the position should be balanced after} Ne4 $5 {(not mentioned by Kornev
in his recent repertoire book advocating the Meran)} 15. Rd1 Qe7 16. Nd2 Nxd2
17. Bxd2 O-O {.}) 12... Be7 {Again, you shouldn't rush to release the tension
- we're happy to see White take on c5 and activate our knight with tempo.} 13.
Qe2 (13. a5 O-O 14. Nc4 Qc7 15. Qe2 Ng4 $1 {is a useful device to remember;
White has to retreat with the ugly} 16. Ncd2 {after which only Black can be
better.}) 13... O-O 14. Rd1 a5 15. Nc4 Qc7 {Although the computers call it
equal, I find Black's position quite harmonious and the extra space on the
queenside can be useful too. It's as though Black's pieces are on the outside
looking in and White's are on the inside looking out.} 16. Bd2 (16. b3 {and
Bb2 is the other way to develop the bishop, but I guess White was worried
about the weakness of the c3-square.}) 16... Rfd8 17. Rac1 Qc6 (17... Rac8 {
getting the final piece out also merited attention.}) 18. b3 Qd5 19. Be1 cxd4
20. exd4 {White hasn't done anything stupid but Black has come out of this
with a good IQP position and he went on to win. By the way, Rubinstein is
quite a good guide in general for understanding the development of 1.d4 theory
through its nascent stage. His games give a good indication of how players at
the club level are most likely to meet modern opening concepts.} Rdc8 21. Bd2
Ne4 22. Re1 Nd6 23. Qf1 Nxc4 24. bxc4 Qh5 25. Ne5 $6 {White fails to adjust to
Black's sudden attack.} (25. Be2 {was more solid.}) 25... Nxe5 26. Rxe5 Qh4 27.
f4 $2 {An unnecessary blunder; White had to find} (27. d5 Bd6 28. Bg5 {, after
which he can hold thanks to} Qh5 29. Be2 Qg6 30. Bd3 {with a repetition.})
27... Bf6 28. g3 Bxe5 29. dxe5 Qe7 30. Be3 Qd7 31. Be2 Qxa4 32. g4 b3 33. Kf2
Be4 34. Bd4 Rd8 35. Ke3 Bc2 36. Ra1 Qb4 0-1 [/pgn]

{In this game I'll highlight a typical mistake at club level (and even a bit
above that) which you're likely to exploit if you go for 8...Bb7 (which was
Dreev's recommendation in his Meran book)} 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. d4
c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. e4 b4 {This is the key
point - now White doesn't have the e4 square for the knight and has to
misplace it.} 10. Na4 c5 11. e5 Nd5 {Black is doing very well positionally as
he has an outpost knight on d5 and White's e5-pawn will often become weak
after the trade of the c5-pawn and d4-pawn. The catch is that Black is a
little behind in getting castled.} 12. Nxc5 {The most natural move, but it
only helps Black activate his pieces.} ({The main line} 12. O-O cxd4 {can get
sharp quite quickly. You should really take the time to study the theory
(especially after 13.Nxd4) but I'll briefly suggest that after} 13. Re1 {you
play} (13. Nxd4 Nxe5 14. Bb5+ Nd7 15. Re1 Rc8 16. Qh5 g6 {gets outrageously
sharp with White generally sacking with Nxe6 before Black can castle, but if
Black has a good memory then there's nothing to fear. You aren't forced to
play 13...Nxe5 but objectively you accept a slight disadvantage by shirking it.
}) 13... g6 {, intending ...Bg7 and ...0-0 which at least keeps your king safe,
though White can press a bit with} 14. Bg5 Qa5 15. Nxd4 a6 16. a3 {.}) 12...
Nxc5 13. dxc5 Bxc5 14. Bb5+ $6 {It will be hard for someone to resist the
temptation to play this unless they already know it is bad.} (14. O-O {is more
common but after} h6 $1 {, Black is threatening to castle (doing it a move
earlier ran into Bxh7) and he is very comfortable with good squares for all of
his pieces.}) 14... Ke7 {The king is actually very safe here as the centre is
stable, and in the game Black soon brought it back to the kingside 'by hand'
in any case.} 15. O-O Qb6 16. Bd3 h6 {An important move to defend against Bg5.}
17. Qe2 Rhd8 18. Bd2 Kf8 19. Rac1 Rac8 20. Rc2 a5 {Black has finished his
mobilisation and has a clear advantage with much better placed pieces, space
on the queenside and a weak e5-pawn to target. Larsen went on to convert quite
convincingly.} 21. Rfc1 (21. Be3) 21... Kg8 22. h3 Ne7 23. Ne1 Bd4 24. Rxc8
Rxc8 25. Rxc8+ Nxc8 26. b3 Ne7 27. Nf3 Bc5 28. Be1 Nf5 29. Kf1 Qc6 30. Bb5 Qc7
31. Bd3 Nd4 32. Nxd4 Bxd4 33. f4 Qc1 34. Qd2 Qa1 35. Qc2 Bc3 36. Qb1 Ba6 0-1 [/pgn]